Hawaii Timeshare

An affiliate of Dallas-based Lantern Asset Management (which is owned by Centerbridge Capital Partners) bid a reported $100 million to purchase the former Ritz-Carlton Hawaii timeshare and fractional at Kapalua Resort in Maui. The Hawaii timeshare and residence resort was previously branded as a Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences

Bidding at the foreclosure hearing for the former Ritz-Carlton timeshare property began at $58 million after a lending entity, known as Island Acquisitions Kapalua LLC originally bid $55 million at a December 3 foreclosure auction. Lantern Asset Management is said to have outbid both California-based Westbrook Management and David Merage. Merage is the head of Consolidated Investment Group and with his brother, co-founded Chef America Inc., a brand that includes Hot Pockets, and that later sold to the Nestle corporation for $2.6 billion.

The former Ritz-Carlton Hawaii timeshare resort includes residential and commercial units as well as deeded club interests.” Vacation ownership in The Residences at Kapalua Bay is held as one-twelfth fractional ownership interests. Floor plans for the luxurious three- and four-bedroom whole ownership units range from 3,002 to 4,271 square feet. The 62 fully furnished, two- and three-bedroom
former Ritz-Carlton Kapalaua fractional residences range in size from 1,912 to 2,257 square feet. Interior décor of the units is designed to celebrate Maui’s history.

Timber Resorts Management of Former Ritz-Carlton Hawaii Timeshare and Fractional Resort.

In December, Timber Resorts took over management of the property from Ritz-Carlton Management Co., which is a subsidiary of Marriott International. Timbers Resorts is based in Carbondale, Colorado, and is recognized as one of the country’s largest independent developers and operators of private boutique resorts and residence clubs.

At that time John D. Chaney, President of Kapalua Bay Vacation Owners Association, was quoted as saying, “We are extremely pleased that we are able to retain a management company with the reputation and service level of Timbers Resorts and we are really looking forward to working with them in 2013. We hope to duplicate the success here that they have achieved at so many of their other resorts around the world.”

Robert E. Parsons, President of the Association of Apartment Owners of Kapalua Bay Condominium, added, “The Residences at Kapalua Bay is a luxury private residence club coupled with a collection of stunning wholly-owned residences within the world-class Kapalua Resort. We feel that it has the ability to become an even more important hospitality contributor to Hawaii and are excited to work with Timbers Resorts as our partner in reaching these goals and taking this resort to even higher levels of service and luxury.”

The American Resort Development Association of Hawaii (ARDA-Hawaii) presents Kauai’s 2012 Hawaii Timeshare Employee of the Year award to Julie Pavao  of the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas.

Pavao, an Executive Assistant at the Westin, is the first to receive Kauai’s 2012 Timeshare Employee of the Year award through the statewide program. ARDA Hawaii has recognized her for continually providing outstanding service and going beyond the call of duty.

ARDA-Hawaii Chair Daniel Dinell says, “Julie Pavao best represents all of the qualities we envisioned in creating the Timeshare with Aloha Awards.”

Dinell, who is the Hilton Grand Vacations Vice President for Oahu, adds, “With her demonstrated commitment to the growth and development in the resort and timeshare industry, and equal dedication to her community by helping to organize the Hawaii Hotel and Lodging Association’s Visitor Industry Charity Walk, Julie truly deserves this well-earned recognition from her peers.”

Julie Pavao started working with Starwood Vacation Ownership in 1987. Denise Wardlow, General Manager at The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas nominated Pavao for the award, pointing out that Pavao is such a willing problem solver for both guests and staff, she has the role of “Aunty Julie,” creating an environment of extended ohana (family) for timeshare owners, guests, and employees at the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas.

Pavao, who is said to exemplify the Aloha Spirit, is an active community member and volunteers with the Visitor Industry Charity Walk on Kauai; the Relay For Life; Adopt-A-Highway; the Westin Princeville Charity Golf Tournament and the resort’s Silent Auction for the Kauai Lifeguards Association.

More about the ARDA-Hawaii Award: Hawaii Timeshare with Aloha

ARDA-Hawaii established the “Timeshare with Aloha” Awards to spotlight committed industry professionals who make Hawaii timeshare special to visit. Four outstanding employees, one from Maui, Kauai, Oahu, and Hawaii were honored. Each received a two-night stay at a Hawaii timeshare resort and $1,000 to spend during their vacation. Others receiving the Timeshare with Aloha Award include: Keani Awai, Marketing Manager, Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club, Maui; Ashley M.K. DeCanto, Administration Manager, Club Wyndham – Waikiki Beach Walk and Royal Garden at Waikiki, Oahu; and Stephanie Peterson, Executive Vacation Counselor, Hilton Grand Vacations Club -Waikoloa Beach Resort, Island of Hawaii.

ARDA-Hawaii is the local chapter of the American Resort Development Association. Hawaii timeshares account for 13 percent of Hawaii’s visitor lodging inventory and thousands of jobs. Learn more about “Timeshare with Aloha” at www.ARDA.org/alohaawards

.

In recent years, timeshares across the US, haven’t experienced a healthy period of growth—except in Hawaii. Hawaii timeshares are trending up these days with 1436 new Hawaii timeshare units having been built (or on schedule to be built) between 2011 and the end of 2013. Remarkably, there is even the potential for as many as 2,336 additional units to be constructed.

American Resort Development Association CEO and president, Howard C. Nusbaum says that Hawaii timeshares fared better than most from 2007 to 2009 and last year experienced an occupancy rate of 87 percent, compared to the nationwide timeshare occupancy rate, which was 78.9 percent.

Joseph Toy, president and CEO of Hospitality Advisors LLC says there is a backlog, what he calls a “pent-up demand for travel.” Toy explains, “Now that the economics seem to be strengthening, I’m sure that there will be an uptick in time-share development and buying.”

As ARDA’s Howard Nusbaum points out, “Two kinds of people buy in Hawaii  those who love Hawaii and those who are timeshare devotees who realize it’s a powerful exchange. Having Hawaii is like having Boardwalk and Park Place in a Monopoly game.”

Dave and Jeannine Funk of Reno, Nevada are a perfect example of today’s Hawaii timeshare owner. They purchased a Hawaii timeshare at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort in 2010. At that point, the state of the timeshare market was what many described as, “in recovery.”

Jeannine says, “We come at least once a year to Hawaii, sometimes twice. We’d been coming to Hawaii for 40 years, so buying a timeshare just made sense.”

The truth is, buying Hawaii timeshare makes sense for many vacationers, as does buying a timeshare resale anywhere you enjoy vacationing and visit regularly.

How much do you know about the vacation resort options with Disney timeshare? Do you know, for example, that not all Disney Vacation Club timeshares are located at a theme park? Or that each Disney timeshare resort is designed with its own themed personality that makes it unique among all the other DVC timeshare resorts?

Disney Vacation Club timeshare currently offers eleven beautiful, fun, and totally Disney-distinctive timeshare resorts, and there are more DVC resorts opening soon. Because each Disney timeshare resort has its own features and own personality, a DVC member can choose vacations that are totally Disney, yet are distinct vacation experiences depending upon the resort they select.

Maybe you are already a Disney Vacation Club timeshare member. Maybe you are thinking about the opportunities and vacation fun DVC membership can mean for you and your family … or perhaps you are a full-fledged Disney-guru. Whatever your knowledge of Disney, see if you know the answer to these DVC questions:

1.  How many Disney Vacation Club resorts are located at destinations where there is NOT a Disney theme park, and which resorts are they?

The answer is 3.  Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort is a classic resort in the popular coastal vacation destination of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, is the newest resort in the DVC family and is located in Ko Olina, Hawaii. And Disney’s Vero Beach Resort is a little over a one-hour drive from Orlando’s Disney World Park, but is definitely located beachside on the Atlantic Ocean.

2.  Okay, let’s try an easy one. Which Disney Vacation Club timeshare offers some units from which you can view the wild beasts of Africa from your timeshare’s balcony?

That would, of course, be Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas, in Orlando, Florida, where some timeshare units afford you a view of the animal grazing area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.

3. At which Disney Vacation Club Resort can you sleep in a modern-day tree house?

Surprise! Although Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa has all the charm and luxury of an 1800’s resort and spa, another option for DVC owners there is vacationing in Disney’s Treehouse Villas, which offer elevated villas with rustic but luxurious ammenities in a serene, wooded glade.

4. We identified in the first question, which Disney Vacation Club resort destinations are located on beautiful beaches (Disney’s Hilton Head Island; Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas; and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort). If those are all beach destinations, where will you find Disney’s Beach Club Villas?

Disney’s Beach Club Villas offer the styling of a 1900’s Mid-Atlantic coastal home, but are an easy walk to Epcot theme park, within the Disney World Resort destination in Orlando.

5.  Which DVC resort has the ambiance and style of a classic National Park resort?

Ahh, trick question! The answer is the Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, located near Disneyland California’s newest attraction, the Disney California Adventure Park. But the correct answer is also the Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, where despite the fact that you are vacationing in Orlando, you will have the feeling of being in a rustic lodge in the Great Northwest.

6.  Now, last question, and this one is an important one. Where will you find the best values in becoming a Disney Vacation Club member or renting a DVC timeshare for your next getaway?

Easy answer: When you buy or rent DVC timeshare points through a current DVC owner, you enjoy all the fun and luxuries of a Disney timeshare vacation, along with most of the benefits of DVC membership, yet you will have saved thousands of dollars on each vacation. Explore your options and your savings with Sell My Timeshare NOW and VacationOwnership.com, so that you can start enjoying all the fun and magic of Disney timeshare at a price you can easily afford.